a good frIday feeling for the hoops

league of ireland

SHAMROCK Rovers got their home form back on track to keep up the pressure on league leaders Dundalk as the red mist descended on Galway United yet again.

The Hoops had managed just one goal in their previous three games at Tallaght Stadium but Mikey Drennan had no problems finding the net last night, the Kilkenny lad managing a goal in each half. The Rovers supporters, who paid tribute to the late George Byrne before the game, had their lead goal from Drennan on 18 minutes and he added a second in the 68th minute, and there was still time for a third goal from debutant Brandon Miele in added time. the win putting Rovers within a point of Dundalk.

It was a bad night for Galway as Marc Ludden was dismissed 13 minutes from time, the fourth red card in six games for United this season.

Cork City are also snapping away at the heels of table-toppers Dundalk, as a crowd of over 5,000 at Turner's Cross had a very Good Friday with a 3-0 home win over Derry City. John O'Flynn put Cork on the way to a win with the opening goal on 16 minutes and Karl Sheppard added a goal in each half to seal the victory.

Bohemians coped well with the controversial dismissal of one of their players early on to keep up their good start to the season and take a 1-0 win away from Drogheda United.

Derek Prendergast was dismissed on 19 minutes for a second bookable offence but the away side insisted that referee Paul McLaughlin had erred in showing a yellow to Prendergast instead of Lorcan Fitzgerad. The ten men rallied late on as Marc Griffin came off the bench to score his first league goal on 87 minutes.

Sligo Rovers are in even more trouble after they suffered a third successive defeat, this time at home to fellow strugglers Bray Wanderers. Bray's caretaker coach Maciej Tarnogrodzki had only a day to prepare his side following Alan Mathews' exit but the Polish national enjoyed his debut as manager as Bray scored, and won, for the first time this season. David Cassidy's early penalty put the away side in front, Steven Beattie equaliser on 16 minutes but Cassidy stuck again, on 44 and 69 minutes, to give Bray and unlikely 3-1 win and leave Sligo rooted to the bottom of the table.